Open thread
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m out of the office for the rest of the afternoon. Please keep your discussion as Illinois-centric as possible (and, yes, while there is a tenuous local connection to today’s national developments, steer clear of it) and be nice to each other. Thanks.
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* RFD Radio/WFMB…
State Rep. Bill Mitchell, Forsyth, said he’s hearing House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton may seek a nine-figure sum during the just underway veto session to help get the [Obama Presidential Library on Chicago’s South Side] project off the ground.
“Never in our country’s history have we used state funds for a presidential library, but Madigan and Cullerton are trying to urge the governor to provide that $100 million that should go to roads,” Mitchell said.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has been partially funded by the State of Illinois since it opened in 2006. […]
“I would urge people to call Governor Rauner’s office at 782-6830 and urge the governor to resist Madigan’s and Cullerton’s pressure to use our road money for the Obama library,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell has co-sponsored legislation seeking to prevent the state from spending $100 million on the library project. His co-sponsors are State Reps. David Reis, C.D. Davidsmeyer, Terri Bryant and Charles Meier.
I asked Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown for comment. Brown said he would remind Rep. Mitchell “we are talking about a state infrastructure program and that Chicago is in Illinois. Perhaps that has slipped his mind.” Senate President Cullerton’s spokesman has not yet responded.
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* NBC 5…
Nearly 60 percent of guns recovered in Chicago come from out-of-state dealers, with more than 20 percent traced back to Indiana, according to a newly-released report on the city’s violence.
The Chicago Police Department, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the University of Chicago Crime Lab unveiled Sunday the findings of their 2017 Gun Trace Report, a study that analyzed crimes between 2013 and 2016 to better understand where guns in Chicago come from, and to develop impactful solutions to address the root causes of the city’s violence. […]
Just 10 federally licensed firearms dealers (seven in Illinois and three in northwest Indiana) sold nearly a quarter of the guns recovered in Chicago, the research also showed. The top two locations – Chuck’s Gun Shop in Riverdale and Midwest Sporting Goods in Lyons – have been the source of a disproportionate number of weapons for the better part of a decade, according to the report, providing a combined 11.2 percent of all crime guns recovered in Chicago.
The rest of the top 10 sources included, in order: Westforth Sports in Gary, Indiana, Cabela’s in Hammond, Indiana, Shore Galleries in Lincolnwood, GAT Guns in East Dundee, Suburban Sporting Goods in Melrose Park, Pelcher’s Shooter Supply in Lansing, Blythe’s Sport Shop in Griffith, Indiana, and Sporting Arms & Supply in Posen.
* Sun-Times…
The city’s second “Gun Trace Report,” set for release on Sunday, looks at guns recovered by CPD from 2013 through 2016 — where they came from, who bought them — and offers ways to put a dent in Chicago’s entrenched gun violence.
Out of approximately 27,500 weapons recovered during that period, the report focuses on 15,000 guns — all of which were initially bought legally at more than 5,000 federally licensed gun dealers in Illinois and other states, according to the report. […]
City leaders have long bemoaned the relatively lax gun laws in Indiana as a driver of gun violence in Chicago. Indiana does not require background checks when gun sales occur at gun shows or between private parties.
According to the new report, 21 percent of guns recovered in Chicago from 2013 through 2016 were initially purchased in Indiana. […]
To stem the tide of shootings, the report recommended Illinois General Assembly pass the Gun Dealer Licensing Act to help curb straw purchasing, impose anti-theft measures and help police in their gun trafficking investigations.
The senate bill was filed Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, in February and has attracted 18 co-sponsors. It passed the Senate in April. It has 30 sponsors in the Illinois House and has a final action deadline of Nov. 10.
* Tribune…
Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson called on state lawmakers to approve legislation to more aggressively regulate gun dealers in Illinois, pointing to a newly released trove of data that shows many guns recovered by police in connection with crimes can be traced back to licensed gun stores in the Chicago area.
The call for legislative action came as Johnson and other advocates for stricter gun rules convened Sunday at police headquarters to highlight findings of a new report tracing so-called “crime guns” — firearms found at a shooting scene, in the possession of gang members or otherwise being used illegally — to their original point of sale.
The Tribune reported on the study, a collaboration among the mayor’s office, Chicago police and University of Chicago Crime Lab, in advance of its official release.
The report found that “roughly two out of every five of Chicago’s crime guns come into the city from Illinois source dealers, making Illinois the single largest source state for Chicago’s illegal guns.”
The report also found that nearly one-fourth of guns recovered at crime scenes over a recent four-year period came from just 10 Chicago-area businesses.
* From the report…
Both three-year and one-year “time to crime” analyses were conducted for crime guns traced back to the top ten source dealers. A firearm’s “time to crime” refers to the amount of time that lapsed between the initial retail sale and the subsequent recovery of that firearm by law enforcement. A shorter time to crime serves as an indicator than illegal trafficking or transfer activity took place before the firearm came into the hands of law enforcement. In addition to the time to crime, law enforcement also look to other factors that indicate a firearm has been illegally trafficked, such as whether the firearm was originally purchased by someone other than the illegal possessor, originally purchased in another state, originally purchased among multiple firearms by the same purchaser, reported lost or stolen, or has an altered or defaced serial number. The more of these factors present, the greater the likelihood that the crime gun involved a straw purchase or other illegal sale before it was seized by police. […]
Notably, Suburban Sporting Goods had both the highest three-year and one-year time to crime of any top ten FFL, with almost half of its Chicago crime guns having been recovered within one year of initial sale.
Midwest Sporting Goods continued to surpass Chuck’s Gun Shop in short time to crime recoveries. Following the previous release of Chicago Police firearm trace data, in late October of 2015 the Village of Lyons passed an ordinance to regulate gun dealers within its jurisdiction, which includes Midwest Sporting Goods. From 2015 to 2016, Midwest Sporting Goods’ shortest time to crime gun recoveries – those of less than one year from point of sale to recovery in a crime – dropped by almost 10 percentage points. While more time and analysis are needed to evaluate the impact of the new ordinance in Lyons, the early results are promising.
* Related…
* Melrose Park shop jumps to a leading seller of ‘crime guns’ in Chicago area
* New FBI chief says he’s already losing sleep over Chicago violence
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Caption contest!
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A photo posted on Facebook by Consul General of the State of Israel to the Midwest Aviv Ezra…
Keep it clean, people.
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Question of the day
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
Illinois has received nearly 4,500 responses to its public survey asking about highway rest areas in less than two weeks.
The Illinois Department of Transportation launched the public survey to get feedback because the agency is considering how to rehab or possibly close some of those rest areas, the Chicago Tribune reported.
“Many of our rest areas have reached a point where it’s time to evaluate their future,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn said. […]
Illinois Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kelsea Gurski said many of the state’s 30 public rest areas and 11 welcome centers are 30 to 40 years old. […]
“As they reach the end of their useful life, we want to know how best to meet the needs of the traveling public — what features are valued by the public,” Gurski said.
* Mark Brown says he smells a “rat”…
An educated guess, given the preferences of our current governor, is that it also could involve privatizing them in some way to open them up to commercial businesses to reduce the cost to the state.
Try as I might, I couldn’t get IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell to actually verbalize any of those possibilities.
Instead, he stressed that no decisions have been made.
“At this point, nothing’s being ruled out,” Tridgell said.
Fair enough.
Then maybe there’s still time to register my opinion that Illinois could use more rest areas, not fewer, especially one on the edge of the metropolitan area along I-55 before motorists get caught in Chicago traffic.
Lots of rest areas are maintained by groups that employ developmentally disabled adults.
* The Question: Should Illinois’ rest areas be privatized? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
online surveys
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Rauner in Israel
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz…
Gov. Bruce Rauner is off to Israel, accompanied by University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen and other academics on a trip designed to boost trade and particularly high-end research investment with the Jewish state.
According to Rauner’s office, the trip will begin this Sunday, Oct. 29 and last until Nov. 3. Officials from the Rauner administration and university are to promote the new Illinois Innovation Network on the Near South Side meet with leaders of the Israeli Innovation Authority and other entrepreneurial organizations, and formalize partnership with Ben Gurion University and other research schools.
A chat with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also is on the agenda. If conversation lags, perhaps the governor and prime minister can talk about Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has fought with Rauner on any number of matters and who clashed with Netanyahu back in the days when the mayor was a policy aide to then-President Bill Clinton.
More seriously, “We believe in connecting the dots between the state of Israel and the state of Illinois,” said Aviv Ezra, the Israeli counsel general for the Midwest, who is based in Chicago. “The best way to do that is to create a win-win environment.”
At a minimum, Ezra said he expects some memoranda of understanding to be signed on the trip, with at least some discussion of Israeli investment here.
* Hey, what do you know, it’s Scott Walker…
* He got his MOU…
But it took him five tries to get the tweet right…
Must be jet lag.
* He also met the prime minister…
Did you realize that Israel is about to start exporting marijuana? I kid you not.
Also, I’m told that former Rauner chief of staff Richard Goldberg is in Israel as well. No pics of the two of them together yet, though.
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Quigley endorses Pritzker
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Today, Congressman Mike Quigley endorsed JB Pritzker for governor at an event in Chicago. This marks JB’s third congressional endorsement after Congressman Luis Gutierrez and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos endorsed the campaign.
“Mike Quigley is one of our state and nation’s most respected congressman,” said JB Pritzker. “At every turn, he stands up for civil rights, immigrant rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ rights as President Trump tries to take them away. But while Mike Quigley is in Washington taking on Donald Trump and making his voice heard, we have a governor in Illinois who remains silent as Trump attacks our people. With Mike by my side, I’m confident that we can take down Donald Trump’s partner in Illinois, and get our state back on track.”
“JB Pritzker has the values we need in the governor’s office, the experience to turn this state around, and the track record to prove to me that he will do it,” said Congressman Mike Quigley. “When one branch of our government fails, others need to step up and protect us, promote our economic interests, and preserve the gains we have made as a society. But Bruce Rauner has been an absolute failure when it comes to this momentous responsibility. Democrats in Illinois have a special responsibility to the people of Illinois to put forward a candidate who will not only defeat Rauner, but restore Illinois. That person is JB Pritzker.”
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The Daily Herald’s unsolicited advice
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Daily Herald editorial board offers reelection campaign advice to Gov. Rauner…
In offering it, we recognize that the governor is not apt to take our advice. His first term suggests that he generally doesn’t listen to advice from anyone.
And that, Mr. Rauner, seems to be one of your fundamental problems — figuring out how to work with people and keeping in mind that a big part of that is listening to their problems and ideas, building consensus and trying to build win-win solutions rather than dictating winner-take-all confrontations where someone has to lose.
This is especially important when you face an opposition party that has overwhelming control of the Illinois legislature and the someone who is most apt to lose is you!
Somehow, you didn’t recognize that obvious truth during your first term, leaving even those of us who endorsed you, sympathize with you and pull for you perplexed by your apparent naiveté.
Where has this man-in-the-tower approach gotten you, Governor? A state in stagnation. A tax increase you didn’t want. A mass exodus of frustrated legislators. […]
It’s not enough, Governor, for you to tell us again that Springfield needs to be reformed. We’re with you on that and most of the state is, too.
But unless you can show us how you’re going to effect that change, it’s just empty talk. Illinois needs action, not recycled rhetoric. What will you do, Mr. Rauner, to produce it?
Thoughts?
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Two takes on Rauner’s new TV ad
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Chuck Sweeny isn’t a fan of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s new TV ad that features Republican governors claiming Speaker Madigan’s policies have been a boon for their states…
The ad assumes Jack and Jill Voter know all there is to know about Mike Madigan, who has never been on a statewide ballot and doesn’t travel around the state making speeches. The ad also assumes that if voters know of Madigan, most don’t like him and blame him for every one of Illinois’ fiscal irregularities since the state nearly went bankrupt in the 1840s because it spent too much money building the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
It’s quite a reach to expect people to know all that.
Here’s one more reason the ad could backfire: It invites the neighbors to intrude into our family argument and lord their alleged superiority over us.
People hate that. This is our fight, so let us fight it. Butt out, Scott, Eric and Eric.
The ad also fails because it smacks in the mouth Illinois business owners who are loyal to the state, saying in effect, “Boy, are you a dummy for staying in that state.”
People know who Madigan is and they don’t like him - and they don’t like what they believe he has done to their state. The “this is our fight” argument is a good one, but a year ago a poll found that almost half of Illinoisans want to leave their state.
* Finke…
The legislature is taking a week off before returning to finish the veto session.
Rauner plans to put that time to good use by leading a delegation to Israel to “explore opportunities for expanded business and research ties” that are linked to technological innovation. A number of top officials from the University of Illinois are also part of the delegation.
Obviously, everyone hopes the trip will be a success. But just to be safe, maybe Rauner can bring along copies of his new campaign ad to show all of the wondrous opportunities right next to Illinois, in case this state isn’t good enough.
Heh.
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RAGA ridicules potential Quinn candidacy
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’ve already told subscribers what I think of this, so let’s do a roundup starting with RAGA…
Pat, are you serious?
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rejected by Illinoisans in 2014, former Governor Pat Quinn is back, and he is running for Illinois Attorney General.
Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) Executive Director Scott Will issued the following statement:
“Haha! Seriously, I thought I was reading the Onion when I saw Pat Quinn announce for attorney general. Under Quinn’s leadership Illinois government spending and budget deficits exploded, leaving taxpayers on the hook. Remember, after Blagojevich went to jail, Quinn allowed the corruption in Springfield and state government to continue, leaving appointees in place - some even received promotions.
“Quinn should be a uniting force for the current Democratic field. It’ll be a good test to see if Drury, Fairley, Goldstein, Raoul, Rotering, Ruiz, and Mariotti, not only denounce the corrupt Madigan machine, but also acknowledge the mess Quinn left behind.”
* Tribune…
“He’s a fighter who never gives up,” [David Vaught, Quinn’s former budget director] said. “He hasn’t won every election, but he’s had the guts to run and I’m sure there is a little buyer’s remorse out there.” […]
At the same time, a Quinn candidacy could help rejuvenate Republicans who have seen their ranks divided following Rauner’s signature on legislation expanding taxpayer-subsidized abortions.
Rauner controls the Illinois Republican Party, which is solidly behind Erika Harold, the Urbana attorney whose winnings in the 2003 Miss America pageant paid for her tuition at Harvard Law School. Harold would face Quinn in the fall if both were to emerge from the March primary election.
Beyond the attorney general’s race, a Quinn candidacy would allow Rauner and the GOP to attempt to tarnish Democrats in general by reusing much of the material from 2014. That includes a flier linking Quinn, his imprisoned predecessor former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan as “corrupt career politicians destroying Illinois.”
* Sun-Times…
Quinn claims the statewide phone poll of 1,047 likely Democratic voters conducted this month by Public Policy Polling shows him leading six contenders vying to become the state’s top legal eagle, netting him an overall lead with 28 percent of the vote. […]
He also claims he led among all racial groups, with Raoul coming in with 23 percent to Quinn’s 25 percent among African-Americans. For Hispanic voters polled, Ruiz came in with 31 percent to Quinn’s 32 percent.
“Amongst white voters, I led with 30 percent” said Quinn.
“The state needs an attorney general who can get laws passed and do what we did with CUB (Citizens Utility Board) . . . ” referring to the consumer advocacy group, which Quinn created.
“It’s time to make the will of the people the law of the land.” he added.
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* The synopsis of SB2251, sponsored by Sens. Ira Silverstein and Andy Manar…
Amends the Election Code. Provides that the disclosure requirements for political communications shall also apply to any political committee, organized under the Code, making a political communication utilizing any social media platform.
* Silverstein press release…
Political ads on social media platforms would be regulated to disclose their sources and funders if a new measure sponsored by Senator Ira I. Silverstein (D-Chicago) becomes law.
Senate Bill 2251 was filed this week and would extend the same requirements for disclosure regarding print, TV and radio advertising to social media political ads.
“Social media is immediate and far-reaching,” Silverstein said. “Just because it is new media doesn’t mean it shouldn’t fall under the same requirements for existing media in terms of disclosing who funded, prepared and distributed the material. Voters deserve to know what organizations are behind all political ads.”
Attention to online political ads has grown in recent months after Facebook admitted that accounts connected to Russia purchased politically contentious ads ahead of the 2016 presidential election. An estimated $100,000 purchase targeted audiences in swing states with no disclosure about the sources of those ads.
“A recent Facebook ad falsely attacked an Illinois Senate colleague with no clear means of pursuing the source,” Silverstein said. “The laws must apply to online ads as they do everywhere else to keep our elections fair.”
Senate Bill 2251 awaits assignment to a Senate committee before moving to the full chamber for consideration.
* Bernie…
A dispute that broke out on Facebook in recent weeks involving the Christian County GOP and state Sen. ANDY MANAR, D-Bunker Hill, has helped lead to some new proposed state legislation.
State Sen. IRA SILVERSTEIN, D-Chicago, said Senate Bill 2251, introduced last week with Manar as a co-sponsor, would require the same kind of disclosure for advertisements on social media sites as are now required for television, radio or newspaper ads if a political committee pays and names a candidate. […]
The proposed new state law would add “any social media platform” to categories such as pamphlets, radio, TV or print ads that require disclosure. That law already includes “Internet … communication,” but Silverstein and Manar want to make sure social media is covered.
“We always welcome any kind of clarification from the legislature,” said TOM NEWMAN, director of campaign disclosure at the State Board of Elections. “It might be covered under the existing statute, but if they want to make sure it’s covered, we’re all for that.”
* One issue I’ve been noticing online is that fundraising appeals aren’t including this state mandated language…
10 ILCS 5/9-9) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-9)
Sec. 9-9. Any political committee shall include on all literature and advertisements soliciting funds the following notice:
“A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board’s official website (insert the current website address) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.”
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* No surprise…
The principal sponsor of a bill to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour said the votes weren’t there to attempt an override of Gov Bruce Rauner’s veto of the bill.
Instead, Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, said she’ll continue to negotiate to find a compromise that will have the support of enough lawmakers to overcome a gubernatorial veto.
The first week of the veto session passed without an attempt to override Rauner’s veto of Senate Bill 81 that would have gradually increased the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by January, 2022. Illinois’ minimum wage currently is $8.25 an hour, a rate that’s been in effect since 2010. The federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 an hour. About 2.3 million Illinois workers make the minimum wage.
“I don’t believe we have the votes to override the governor,” Lightford said of her decision not to call the bill for a vote. “It’s difficult garnering a super majority. I’m hoping we can reintroduce a bill that can garner the votes that we need.”
The bill passed the General Assembly in late May, just before the legislature’s scheduled adjournment. However, it got only 61 votes in the House and the minimum 30 in the Senate to pass. Both totals were far short of what is needed to override a veto.
The Democratic leadership plays more games with its base on this topic than on anything else except maybe a graduated income tax.
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“That’s not too much to ask”
Monday, Oct 30, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
I don’t think I’ve ever seen House Speaker Michael Madigan move faster to get in front of a legislative issue than he did last week when he vowed action to address the climate of sexual harassment at the Illinois Statehouse.
The decision came the morning after an “open letter” was published on Facebook by women who work in and around the Statehouse and who claimed: “Misogyny is alive and well in this industry.” The letter has roiled Springfield in a manner that I’ve never seen before.
In case you somehow missed it, the House Speaker claimed that because harassment “thrives in silence,” the House would move forward with legislation requiring legislators, staff and lobbyists to participate in annual sexual-harassment training. Lobbyists would also be required to develop and submit their own sexual harassment policies to the state. Madigan said more changes could be coming after a “thorough review.” I’m told that review will be conducted by a group of legislators, staff and lobbyists.
It’s easy to be cynical here and say that Madigan moved so quickly in order to make sure more stories don’t emerge — perhaps with actual names attached to them next time.
But, really, even if that is the case, so what? After just a couple of days of public agitation by current and former elected officials, lobbyists, staff and consultants, we now have a proposal that all four legislative leaders have signed off on and which will zoom to the governor’s desk as quickly as they can get it there.
It’s also easy to predict that Madigan’s proposal won’t really solve anything. But the excuse often heard is “I didn’t know my behavior was wrong or inappropriate.” At the very least, the annual training will take away that excuse, whether it’s legitimate or not. Once the rules are defined and digested, then more concrete steps can be taken. This problem won’t be solved with a bill alone. But it’s clear that something had to be done.
Depending how they’re drafted, the rules may also ease the minds of some in the community that their past consensual behavior is going to come back to haunt them. There is, without a doubt, a “hook-up culture” in Springfield. Humans being humans, I’m not sure that it can or even should be stopped. But the problem isn’t sex. The problem, as made clear in the open letter, is the creepy stuff.
Is this just a political ploy by Madigan to jump in front of a parade? In some respects, yes. It’s not like he consulted with the other leaders before deciding on his course of action or allowed women to take the public lead on the issue. But, as flawed as it may be, that’s just Madigan’s usual mode of operation. When he gets an idea in his head, he goes with it. And he has a unique ability to make things happen.
I’ve heard several complaints, including from more than a few women, about the methods of the folks behind the letter about sexual harassment that circulated last week. For instance, a whole lot of people, including reporters, are now wondering who that unnamed “chamber leader” is who allegedly propositioned a female staffer by claiming to have an open marriage. There’s worry that this will just devolve into yet another hyper-partisan, gotcha exercise of finger-pointing and anonymous recriminations.
But the letter is having an impact with or without the new rules. Some women told me last week that they’d shaken more hands with men than ever before (instead of the usual hugs). This uproar is causing pretty much all of us to think about what we’ve done, what we could’ve done better and what we should be doing in the future. That’s not a horrible thing. It’ll take some time to work itself out, but at least it’s being addressed.
There’s simply no telling at this point where all this will lead. But almost every woman has a horror story about Statehouse life. They’ve dealt with it over the years in various ways — staying silent, setting their own boundaries, privately consulting with other women about whom to avoid, asking others to discreetly intervene. It can be utterly exhausting.
I think what the women behind this letter are demanding now is that the boundaries should no longer be set by each individual. They should be clear, universal and fair.
That’s not too much to ask.
* Related…
* Rauner ‘deeply troubled’ by accounts of sexual harassment in Springfield: “We’ve seen that 75 percent of complaints in the workplace for sexual harassment receive retaliation, so there needs to be some protections in place so there are no retaliations for women who do choose to come forward,” said Michelle Fadeley, president of Illinois NOW.
* Male Democratic Gubernatorial Lineup Addresses Women’s Issues At Forum: State Sen Daniel Biss, who has been in the legislature since 2011, said he can’t believe some of the conduct he personally has seen at the capitol — seeing women ignored, silenced and harassed. And Biss looked inward. “I think we all need to tell the truth and say that we’ve not done enough,” he declared. “I have not done enough.”
* Greg Hinz: Why is sexual harassment rampant in Springfield?
* Suburban lawmakers join ‘me too’ movement in legislature
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It’s an Ives-Morthland ticket
Saturday, Oct 28, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
[UPDATE: Comments are now open on this post.]
* Numerous folks I’ve talked to today have seen Rep. Jeanne Ives’ nominating petitions for governor. Her running mate is former Rep. Rich Morthland (R-Cordova), who lost to Democrat Mike Smiddy in 2012.
…Adding… The petition is here [fixed link]. And this is from one of Dan Proft’s outlets…
After weeks of speculation, State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) has decided to take a concrete step towards challenging incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Ives stopped short of announcing her candidacy but said she will circulate petitions in pursuit of the required signatures to appear on the March 20 primary ballot while she continues contemplating the decision to run. […]
Rock Island-based former state representative and community college Prof. Rich Morthland will be Ives’ running mate.
“Rich and I know, however, that if you change out the politicians and tell people the truth, then the reform can begin,” Ives said. “And Illinois can recover. Our promise to you is to be honest about the problems we face and the path we must take to make Illinois a place where businesses and families can thrive. We will confront and expose public corruption at every level of government until it stops.” […]
Chicago GOP Chairman Chris Cleveland will serve as the chairman of the Ives for Illinois campaign.
…Adding More… Rep. Ives on Facebook…
I need my army of supporters around the state to bring common sense back to Illinois.
…Adding More… Illinois Review has the press release. Excerpt…
There is little trust between most Illinoisans and their government at many levels - and for good reasons. Top political leaders have lied to the people about who they are and what they are going to do - and they continue to make promises we cannot keep. Public corruption is an everyday event across the state. Many Illinoisans have simply decided to leave for better opportunities elsewhere.
Rich and I know, however, that if you change out the politicians, replacing them with public servants, and tell people the truth, then reform can begin. Illinois can and must recover. Our promise to you is to be honest about the problems we face and the path we must take to make Illinois a place where businesses and families can thrive again. We will confront and expose public corruption at every level of government until it stops.
I am most thankful that my team includes Chris Cleveland. He will serve as the Chairman of the Ives for Illinois campaign. Chris was among the first to encourage me to enter this race and has been a key advisor to me on a daily basis. His position as the current Chicago GOP chairman shows the broad base of support this campaign already has.
We need your help to get on the ballot. Our petition is attached along with the instructions. Please read through the instructions prior to circulating. In advance, I give my sincere thanks to all for your support and work that is ahead of us.
…Adding Still More… Hmm…
…Adding Some More… Gov. Rauner’s former deputy chief of staff for communications…
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